Lynn Simons | |
---|---|
17th Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
In office January 1, 1979 [1] –January 7, 1991 [2] | |
Preceded by | Robert G. Schrader |
Succeeded by | Diana Ohman |
Personal details | |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | University of Colorado University of Wyoming |
Lynn Simons is an American politician and educator who served as the 17th Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1979 to 1991,as a member of the Democratic Party. She unsuccessfully sought the Democratic senatorial nomination in 1988.
Lynn Simons graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Colorado and a master's degree in American studies from the University of Wyoming. [3] In 1957,she joined the American Civil Liberties Union. [4]
In 1971,Simons was appointed by Governor Stanley K. Hathaway to a six-year term on the Wyoming Board of Education to replace Harry F. Hays. [5] She was selected to serve as president of the Wyoming Committee on School Organization in 1975. [6] During her tenure on the Wyoming Board of Education,she served as vice-chair and chair of the board. [7]
On April 5,1978,Simons announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction. [8] She won the Democratic nomination against Sydney Spiegel,a history teacher,and defeated incumbent Republican Superintendent Robert Schrader. [9] [10] She was reelected in 1982 and 1986. [11] [12] In 1990,Simons sought reelection,but was defeated by Republican nominee Diana Ohman. [13]
During the 1980 presidential election Simons endorsed President Jimmy Carter for reelection. [14] In 1982,she gave support to a court case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the children of illegal immigrants could get a free public education. [15] During the 1984 presidential election she endorsed Senator Gary Hart for the Democratic presidential nomination. [16] In 1985,Simons led a twenty member education delegation that visited schools in China and the Soviet Union. [17] In 1985,Lynn was named to the Steering Committee of the Education Commission of the States. [18]
Simons sought the Democratic nomination for the 1988 United States Senate election,but lost in the Democratic primary to John P. Vinch. [19] [20]
Simons is the last Democrat to serve in this position.
Simons was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as a six-state region representative for Secretary of Education Richard Riley in 1993. [21] In 2003,she was appointed by Governor Dave Freudenthal to be Wyoming planning coordinator,but only served for five months before leaving the office. [22] [23] During the 2020 presidential election Simons endorsed Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination. [24]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lynn Simons | 69,261 | 52.70% | ||
Republican | Robert Schrader (incumbent) | 62,165 | 47.30% | ||
Total votes | 131,426 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lynn Simons (incumbent) | 92,270 | 56.97% | ||
Republican | Gary Elliott | 69,699 | 43.03% | ||
Total votes | 161,969 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lynn Simons (incumbent) | 90,978 | 57.05% | ||
Republican | Millard Meredith | 68,960 | 42.95% | ||
Total votes | 159,938 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Diana Ohman | 91,223 | 57.90% | ||
Democratic | Lynn Simons (incumbent) | 66,319 | 42.10% | ||
Total votes | 157,542 | 100.00% |
Michael John Sullivan is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 29th Governor of Wyoming from 1987 to 1995, and United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1998 to 2001, as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his gubernatorial tenure he was active in local politics in Natrona County, Wyoming.
Edgar Jacob Herschler was an American politician and attorney who served as the 28th governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the longest-serving governor of Wyoming, with three full terms; since a two-term limit for governors was approved by a ballot initiative in 1992, he has remained as such.
Joseph Maull Carey was an American lawyer, rancher, judge, and politician, who was active in Wyoming local, state, and federal politics.
John Joseph Hickey, known as Joe or J. J. Hickey, was an American judge and politician who served the 24th Governor of Wyoming and Senator as a Democrat before sitting on the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He was the first Governor of Wyoming to be born in the 20th century.
Teno Domenico Roncalio, was an American politician and writer who served in the United States House of Representatives. To date, he is the last Democrat to have represented Wyoming in the House of Representatives.
Cynthia Marie Lummis Wiederspahn is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Wyoming since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Lummis served as the U.S representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 2009 to 2017. She served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983 and from 1985 to 1993, in the Wyoming Senate from 1993 to 1995, and as the Wyoming State Treasurer from 1999 to 2007.
Eli Daniel Bebout is an American athlete and politician who served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from a multi-member district in Fremont County and the 55th district from 1987 to 2001, and later served in the Wyoming Senate from the 26th district 2007 to 2021, as a member of the Democratic and Republican parties. He was the first person to serve as both Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives and President of the Wyoming Senate
William Henry Harrison III was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives and in the state legislatures of Indiana and Wyoming.
Drew A. Perkins is an American politician who served in the Wyoming Senate from the 29th district as a member of the Republican Party. He served as President of the Senate from 2019 to 2021.
John L. Freeman is an American politician and former Wyoming state legislator. A member of the Democratic Party, Freeman represented the 60th district in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021.
Affie Ellis is an American politician who serves in the Wyoming Senate from the 8th district as a member of the Republican Party. She is a member of the Navajo Nation and is the first Native American to serve in the Wyoming Senate.
Kathleen Marie Karpan is an American politician who served as secretary of state of Wyoming from 1987 to 1995, and as the director of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 1997 to 2000. A member of the Democratic Party, she unsuccessfully ran for Wyoming's governor and United States senator as the Democratic nominee in 1994 and 1996, respectively. She is the most recent Democrat to serve as Wyoming Secretary of State or any other statewide officeaside from Dave Freudenthal's service as Governor from 2003 to 2011.
The 1964 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming was held on November 3, 1964, to elect the United States representative from Wyoming's at-large congressional district. Incumbent Republican Representative William Henry Harrison III sought reelection to a fifth term, but was defeated by Democratic nominee Teno Roncalio.
Velma Linford was an American educator, author, and politician who served as the 12th Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction as a Democrat.
James Ross Carpenter was a Wyoming politician and inventor who served in the Wyoming Senate as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his political career he helped in the founding and advertisement of multiple towns in Wyoming.
Charles William Nation, better known as Bill Nation, was an American politician who served as the 45th and 50th Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and in the Wyoming House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1966 and election as Laramie County Clerk in 1970.
Diana Jean Ohman is a retired politician who served as Secretary of State of Wyoming from 1995 until 1999. Earlier in her career, Ohman held various educational positions throughout Wyoming. Ohman served as Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1991 to 1995 before being elected Wyoming Secretary of State in 1994. After declining to run for a second term in 1998, Ohman led several divisions of the Department of Defense Education Activity from 1999 to 2011 and later joined the Department of Veteran Affairs before retiring in 2018.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 7, 1978. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler won a narrow re-election to a second term, and Democrat Lynn Simons was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Robert G. Schroder. Republicans won the remainder of the statewide offices.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 2, 1982. All of the state's executive officers—the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction—were up for election. Democratic governor Edgar Herschler won a landslide victory on his way to a record third term in office and Democrat Lynn Simons, first elected in 1978 as superintendent of public instruction, won a sizable re-election as well. Republicans held the other statewide offices.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 6, 1990. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Democrats Mike Sullivan and Kathy Karpan were re-elected as Governor and Secretary of State by landslide margins, while Democrat Lynn Simons was defeated for re-election by Republican Diana Ohman. Republicans also continued their winning streak in the elections for State Auditor and State Treasurer.